Toy bank



N. B. LERNER Jan. 3, 1967 TOY BANK Filed March 4. 1964 INVENTOR. NA THAN 5. LERNER BY V k 147' TORNE Y 3,295,247 Patented Jan. 3, 1967 3,295,247 TOY HANK Nathan ll. Lerner, 320 N. Canal St, Chicago, Ill. 60610 Filed Mar. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 34?,414 7 (llaims. (Cl. ia- 4) This invention relates to improvements in a toy bank.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a toy bank into which a coin is deposited, and by rotating or cranking a handle member the coin is caused to travel and advance the length of the toy bank, then to be deposited into the container portion of the bank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy bank which simulates generally the appearance of a pencil sharpener and which utilizes a cranking handle, and in which a coin is deposited in a slot at one end of the bank and is caused to travel the length of the bank by the rotation of the handle, and in which the travel of the coin is visible.

Another object of this invention is to provide a very simple and inexpensive toy bank which provides a great deal of fascination and enjoyment in that it provides action and play value for the child and encourages the child to deposit coins in the toy bank.

Other objects will become apparent a this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the toy bank forming this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the center line of the toy bank;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

The toy bank includes a casing or housing generally indicated at ltl, which in general configuration may be said to simulate the casing of a pencil sharpener. The housing or casing is formed of two half sections 12 and 14, formed preferably of molded plastic material. Section 12 is provided with a recessed lip 16 along the top, side and bottom edges, which is engaged by the edge 18 of section 14. A suitable adhesive or bonding element is applied on the lip and edge to permanently join the half sections together.

The housing is shaped in cross-section, as best shown in FIG. 3, and the side walls 20 have integrally formed therewith a pair of inwardly extending oppositely positioned spaced guide ribs 22 extending substantially along the length of the side Walls, which ribs serve to guide the coin, as will be hereinafter explained. The ribs 22 are adjacent the upper portion of the housing. Positioned below the ribs 22 and in spaced relation thereto are inwardly extending oppositely positioned ledges 24 which are integrally formed with the side walls 21) and which are spaced from each other. The ledges 24 extend inwardly toward the center of the housing to a greater degree than do the guide ribs The ribs 22 and the ledges 24 form the guide and retaining means for guiding and retaining the coin C during its travel along the length of the helical member, as will be explained.

The housing also has spaced front and rear end walls 26 and 28. The front end wall 26 is provided with a coin receiving slot, generally designated at St formed by an offset vertical wall portion 32 joined to the front end wall 26 by a continuing wall 34, all of which may be integrally formed with the molded front end wall. The offset wall portion 32 has an annular recess 36 which forms the pocket for one end of the helical spring member. The top of the coin slot member 36 is open as at 38 so that a coin may be deposited into the open slot.

The rear end wall 28 of the housing is provided with a circular opening 40 which rotatably receives a handle member, generally designated by the numeral 42. The handle member 42 includes an arm 44 and an enlarged annular upper portion which forms the hub for rotatably supporting the handle in the opening 40. The upper por tion includes a pair of spaced annular or disk-shaped members 46 and joined by an intermediate annular hub portion 48 of reduced diameter, all integrally molded or formed with the arm 44.

The enlarged upper annular portion is positioned in the opening 40 of the housing so that the intermediate annular hub 48 is supported in the bearing opening 40 with the larger disk portions 46 and 50 extending on opposite sides of the opening to retain the handle in said end wall for rotation. It will be understood that the handle is in serted before the two half sections 12 and 14 are joined together, and when the half sections are joined the handle is rotatably supported against dislodgment with respect to the housing. The end of the arm is provided with a hand engaging portion 52. The entire handle construction may be integrally molded as a unit.

The enlarged upper annular portion is provided with a transverse slot 53 which anchors one end of the helical coil spring or helix. The helical-shaped member generally indicated at 54 is formed preferably of a wire material having a continuous helical coil. The front end of the helical member is supported within the annular pocket or recess 36 adjacent the front slot and directly under the slot opening 38 so that a coin inserted into said opening lodges within the helical bends of the helical member. The rear end of the helical member 54 is bent to extend rearwardly horizontally as at 56 and then is turned at right angles thereto so that the horizontal end 58 is supported in the slot 53 of the hub of the handle member and is thereby anchored to the hub of the handle so that rotation or cranking of the handle will rotate the helical member 54. The helical spring member 54 is slightly compressed between the front and rear end walls 26 and 28 so that it is retained by the front recess 36 and the hub portion of the handle and does not require any other mechanical fastening means.

As will be seen in FIG. 3, the guide ribs 22 extend on opposite sides of the helical member 54 but are spaced therefrom, while the ledges 24 extend below the helical member and are spaced slightly from said helical member. The ledges 24 do not extend the full length of the casing but terminate short of the end, as seen in FIG. 2, so that a passage slot 60 is provided through which the coin drops into the interior of the housing. A coin C is inserted in the entrance slot 38 and as the handle is manually rotated the helical member 54 will advance the coin from the entrance slot across the length of the housing until it reaches the open ledge portion 60 when it ClIOpS into the interior of the housing.

The housing is formed of a transparent material so that the rotation of the helical member and the advance and travel of the coin is visible throughout its travel and as it is deposited into the lower housing portion. The lower portion of the housing forms the coin receptacle or bank deposit of the toy and the coins are retained therein until they are removed. The sides 20 of the casing or housing are shaped to provide a housing body which is enlarged adjacent its bottom and then tapers inwardly and then outwardly to form the base portion 62. The base portion 62 includes a bottom horizontal wall 64 provided with a entral opening 66 which is closed by a removable lock disk, generally indicated at 68, having a bayonet-type lock or key arrangement which is common in toy banks, to permit removal of the coins.

The toy bank of this invention can accommodate coins of various sizes, such as, pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.

This invention provides a very interesting and fascinating toy for children, who are encouraged to deposit the coins and watch their travel through and into the toy bank. The toy is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy bank including a housing, a helical member rotatably supported in said housing for receiving and advancing a coin, means for rotating said helical member, said housing having means for receiving a coin and alining it with said helical member, means within said housing and adjacent said helical member to guide and support the coin as the coin is advanced in the helical member.

2. A toy bank comprising a housing, a helical member supported within said housing, means for rotating said helical member, means for alining a coin with one end of said helical member so that said coin is caused to advance along said helical member as said helical member is rotated until said coin is deposited in the interior of said housing.

3. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the guide and support means include spaced ribs adjacent the sides of the helical member and a supporting ledge positioned below the helical member.

4. A structure defined in claim 2 in which the helical member is a helical spring.

5. A structure defined in claim 4 in which the helical spring is compressed between the opposite ends of the housing.

6. A structure defined in claim 4 in which one end of the helical spring is anchored to a manually operated cranking member which forms the means for rotating the helical member.

7. A structure defined in claim 4 in which the front end of the helical spring is supported in a pocket and the rear end of the spring is attached to a crank handle.

References (liter! by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 240,955 5/1881 Bowen 464 X 1,469,657 10/1923 Magwood 273-860 1,485,716 3/1924 Rogers 133-6 X 2,137,429 11/1938 Voss.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. BOVASSO, Examiner. 

1. A TOY BANK INCLUDING A HOUSING, A HELICAL MEMBER ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID HOUSING FOR RECEIVING AND ADVANCING A COIN, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID HELICAL MEMBER, SAID HOUSING HAVING MEANS FOR RECEIVING A COIN AND ALINING IT WITH SAID HELICAL MEMBER, MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING 